Company Name: Shropshire Petals
Location: Newport, Shropshire
What is Shropshire Petals?
Shropshire Petals grow and produce bio-degradable natural petal confetti. To create the perfect petals, all flowers are grown with careful love and attention. The petals are delicately hand-picked, eco-friendly and venues love them!
How did Shropshire Petals get started and how long has the business been going?
A family business initially set up by Michael and Rosemary Bubb, Shropshire Petals was originally an arable farm. Michael’s mum Daisy who still lives on the farm today was the brainchild of all that was to become of Shropshire Petals. A keen gardener, Daisy used to dry flowers and sell them at local WI markets — she couldn’t dry them fast enough for the demand. She gradually used more of the farmland to grow enough to sell through retailers and wholesalers.
As the Laura Ashley era started to fade out so did the demand for dried flowers, until Michael and Rosemary had an enquiry about colouring dried flowers for confetti, this is when they realised the Delphiniums they grew would make the perfect wedding confetti. In 2005 Shropshire Petals was born. The call for natural petal confetti began as churches and venues preferred it to the paper and synthetic confetti and as people became more environmentally conscious. The demand grew and grew and you can now pick and mix from a wide range of colours and different petals including Delphiniums, Roses, Hydrangea and Lavender grain to create your own unique confetti mix.
Who works at Shropshire Petals?
- Michael and Rosemary Bubb (owners)
- Dawn, Katie and Jess (Orders and website) — the three busy bee’s who sort out the orders and samples, answer customer queries and generally manage the petals.
- Margaret (Finance and accounts)
- Emma (PR)
- John (Arable farm manager)
- Jim (Flower farm manager)
Where do you get your petals from?
We grow our delphiniums on the farm. We have fields and fields of colourful delphiniums; they all look so pretty when they are in bloom. Once the petals are picked we dry them to create our beautiful petal confetti. For extra colour in our confetti mixes we add roses and hydrangea petals.
In 2011 we are doing some trials on the delphiniums trying to create some new colours.
What type of confetti can couples buy for their wedding and can you match most colour schemes?
Customers can pick and mix to create their own confetti to match their colour scheme. Most colour schemes can be matched, if not customers like our colourful mixes such as Kaleidoscope and the plain pinks or ivory.
How are your products packaged and delivered?
We package our confetti in pretty organza bags then place them boxes which are delivered via Royal Mail. Standard delivery takes 5-7 working days, and we also have next day delivery available.
What’s the best thing about the job?
Emma — I love working and promoting a product that is pretty and natural, there is nothing better than enjoying speaking to the press about a product you love.
Katie — I love going to wedding shows, meeting new people and talking to potential customers. The buzz at a wedding show is something special!
What areas of the country do Shropshire Petals cover?
Nationwide as we are online
Do you have a favourite product?
We all love the Shropshire Box, an ivory dispensing box which comes complete with 25 confetti cones, confetti and the keep-sake box. We also love the Bo-Peep Baskets, which are also a package which comes complete with 20 confetti cones, confetti and the beautiful wicker basket.
Where can I find out more about Shropshire Petals?
Please go to www.shropshirepetals.com or call 01952 691553
